they meane that God being the efficient principall cause of all things doth preserue and mooue that naturall force of working which he gaue vnto them at their creation or that God vseth the vertue of the fire to warme and of bread to nourish they thinke well but if they vnderstand that there is no vertue of nourishing in the bread nor of warming in the fire but that God being in the bread and in the fire warmeth and nourisheth immediately by himselfe and by neither of them as some haue fondly thought and some more fondlie written their opinion is in no wise to bee approued For not onely the Philosopher guided by meere rules of reason but especially the word of God a truth that neuer deceaueth teacheth thus much vnto vs that the Creator at the time of his creating of all things gaue together with their life and being a certaine naturall power and vertue of working as the sunne to expell darkenesse the fire to yeeld a heate liuing creatures to bee apt for procreation and so in particular Gen. 1.11 Those confuted who thinke that God worketh in but not by his creatures Let the earth saith the Lord bud forth the bud of the hearb that seedeth seede the fruitfull tree that beareth fruite according to his kind Also the tree which beareth fruit which hath his seede in it selfe according to his kind By the same commander the sun naturally rules the day the moone guides the night the waters bring forth in abundance euery thing that hath life The naturall place for fish is not to flie in the heauens but to swim in the sea for the fowles of the aire not to swim in the sea but to flie in the Heauens for man neither to swim in the sea nor flie in the heauens but to walke vpon the earth Now as God hath allotted to euery creature his proper place of abode according to his nature and kind so hee hath giuen to euery of them at their creation a certaine power to worke and vertue in working according as their place and kind doth require Man walkes naturally fishes swim naturally fowle flie naturally The earth doth yeeld her fruit the waters bring forth in abundance yet so as that God doth not worke in them without their naturall working but they by God he blessing and moouing that naturall power and vertue in working which at their creation he infused into them When the Lord threatned that hee would take from his people the staffe of bread doth he not plainely teach that there is a vertue of nourishing in the bread else why should it be called a staffe and wherefore should the taking away of that bee a punishment rather then our being depriued of other things This the enemies of Christ had learned and therfore chose rather to giue him vineger for his drinke then any other thing Indeed oftentimes for our sinnes the Lord doth take away that naturall force of working in his creatures that should do vs good sometimes the vertue of those that would hurt his children the one is euident in that Physicke ministred doth often lose his working Dan. 3.25 Sadrach and his fellowes not burnt in she furnace the other apparent in that fire doth sometimes loose his strength of burning Yet this onelie shewes his diuine power but abridgeth not his heauenly ordinance So that this appeareth vntrue that God should gouerne all things immediatelie in his creatures but nothing by them Others againe falling into a second extreme haue affirmed that God doth worke all in all immediately by himselfe but yet influxu quodam duntaxat vt vocant generali by a certaine generall influence as they terme it the which hee gaue to euerie creature in their creation and doth now no more but still keepe and preserue the same So that now they wil haue euerie creature by vertue of that influence receiued to worke of their owne proper nature only God hauing no other stroke but only to maintaine that influence which at first in their creation hee gaue vnto them As the sunne to shine the fire to warme the heauens to be carried circular wise liuing creatures to beget to eate to sleepe men to vnderstand to chuse to speake of their owne proper nature only without any worke of God within them To prooue this their opinion they alleage that in the Acts In God wee liue wee mooue and haue our being Also that to the Hebrewes Chap. 1. vpholding all things by the vertue of his word So that since some effects doe arise from necessarie causes some from lesse necessarie some from contingent and that they often fal out praeter scopum operantis beyond the expectation of him that worketh therefore they inferre that with this Prouidence of God doth very well agree mans free will fortune chance and such like But the ground worke being taken away that which they build vpon it Those consuted which affirme that God gouernes all things by a generall influence onely will quickly fal That of the Acts and the other to the Hebrews although they both teach that nothing can continue without Gods vpholding yet neither doth infer that God doth not in a speciall maner gouerne al things vpholden by him yea the one cannot be affirmed of God but the other must bee concluded vnlesse we wil say there is a Godhead without properties belonging to it For it is euident that God hath not onely a generall working in euery thing which Diuines call his generall Prouidence but that he doth bring euery thing in particular to a certaine end very well agreeing with his iustice and glorie sometimes ouerruling sometimes willingly permitting sometimes moderating sometimes inclining sometimes working contrarie to the nature of the things he worketh by and this is called by Diuines his particular Prouidence which our eies doe tell vs hath a speciall worke in all things We know as it hath bin at large confirmed that God dealeth otherwise with the elect then with the reprobate otherwise with one elect then with another Hee willingly permitted Peter to denie Christ yet of his speciall grace mooued Paul to chide Peter lest hee should offend in not reprehending Yea in one and the same elect God doth work diuerslie at diuers times according to the good pleasure of his will sometimes God withholdeth his grace and then hee falles sometimes maketh a speciall supplie of the same and then he riseth againe At sometimes we only see the rod of correction and then wee tremble for the least affliction sometimes God shewes vs the staffe of his spirit that goes with the same and then with courage wee vndergoe the greatest troubles Psalm 23. But let vs come to a speciall instance If an axe fall forth of the hand of him that cutteth wood and shall slay him that passeth by I the Lord saith God speaking of himself haae slaine that man In which effect can we say that God had only a generall motion and not a particular
strong yet of themselues not able to prouide meat for their young for they crying seeke it at the Lord Psalm 104.21 Psalm 104.21 and thus seeking it finde it at his hands Looke to the meanest things in the heauens Math. 6.26 the blowing of the winds the motion of the clouds Iob 39.3 the raine dropping from them the flying of the birds all are ruled by God Psalm 147. Matth. 10.30 Looke to the smallest things vpon earth the grasse vpon the Mountaines fodder for cattell hearbes for the vse of man lillies to adorne the field all haue their being Psalm 147.8.9 and encrease from God Looke vnto the things vnder the earth Matth. 6.21 They also haue their being saith Iob from God and there is a place in which they are preserued Yea God ordereth the sillie wormes for his glorie as appeares in making thē instrumēts of plaguing Pharaoh for his hardnes of hart and meanes to gnaw asunder the gourde wherewith his Prophet Ionah was couered Ionah 4.7 Since then the meanest things in the heauens on the earth and vnder the earth are vpholden by God and guided by his Prouidence and that this his goodnes declares the greatnes of his mercie and secondly Ministers comfort to his children for if God thus gouerneth them how much more will he bee present to those that loue feare his name let vs not diminishing his mercie or depriuing our selues of such comforable assurance once call into question his Prouidence ouer his meanest creatures but with heartie thankesgiuing acknowledge the same Gods Prouidence prooued by the testimonies of the holy Fathers WIsedome teacheth that it is good to build vpon a firme foundation the word of God then being the ground worke of this doctrine wee may with safetie settle our iudgements thereon When the Sunne shines clearely what needes the candle to be lighted when the word is euident what needes authoritie of fathers To adde light to the sunne or a sparke to the flame seemes small discretion yet since experience doth teach that the nature of man is not onely hard to be drawne to the acknowledgement of an euident truth but also meere repugnant to that whereby the eies of his vnderstanding being enlightned he might glorifie God It shal not bee amisse to alledge their confessions that the wauering in iudgement may confesse the trueth with them Cyrill writing against Iulian Lib. secundo quinto affirmeth that God doth not onely direct all things to the behoofe and full harmonie of the whole vniuersally but also is the Cherisher Maintainer and Preseruer of euery thing in particular Augustine saith De Trinit lib. 3. cap. 4. that there is no creature which is not gouerned by Gods Prouidence and in another place hee descends vnto the particular saying Jn Psal 148. Tom. 8. Who disposed the members of the gnat and other small creatures that they should haue their life their goodly order and moouing Propound vnto thy selfe one of the meanest of Gods creatures consider the excellent disposition of his members his life whereby hee is moued to eschew death and to vse meanes to preserue him he desires pleasures he flieth troubles hee hath his senses and an excellent motion beseeming himselfe wherein he deliteth And in another place Hee which made the Angels in heauē made also the wormes in the earth Hath God made the Angels to creepe in the durt and the wormes to remaine in the heauens No he hath giuen to euery creature his fit place of habitation to that which is incorruptible an incorruptible place of abiding to that which is corruptible a corruptible place of remaining Thus much Augustine Basilius Magnus hath truely said that fortune and chance are Heathen mens words Homil. 19. wherewith the minds of the godly ought not to bee busied Chrysostome vpon the Ephesians If a ship though well rigged and sound euery where cānot brooke the seas without a good gouernour Lib. 1. cap. 16. how much lesse can the whole world without the care and gouernment of God Caluin in his Institutions Whatsoeuer changes of things fall out in the world they come to passe by the secret stirring of the hand of God Beza in his Confessions All things are gouerned by Gods Prouidence The consideration whereof made the ancient Philosophers as Empedocles Heraclites and such like to affirme that all things fell out by a certaine necessity although they could not determine the manner how But what should I stand vpon moe allegations He which will enquire further into them I referre him to August de Prouidentia Dei Tom. 1. lib. 1. Tom. 5. to the same Author de Ciuit. dei lib. 12. cap. 4. to Origen in Romanos cap. 1. to Chrysostome in tribus de Prouidentia lib. ad Stargirium to Naziazene de Paupertate curanda with infinite others All which omitted I proceede vnto the third way of proouing this trueth vnto vs. Gods Prouidence prooued by testimonies of Heathen Writers WHen as men darkned in their vnderstandings Ephes 4.18 wanting the light of the Gospell guided only by the rules of reason shall by manifold obseruations gather vndoubted conclusions of the Prouidence of God ouer all his creatures how shall Christians liuing in the glorious sunshine of the Gospel and professing themselues not onlie naturally to bee ruled by the same rules of reason but supernaturallie by Gods holy Spirit call that into question whereof they neuer doubted The trueth whereof appeares thus vnto vs. Plotin the Platoniste affirmes that Gods Prouidence is manifested vnto vs euen from the highest things to the very lillies of the field Lib. 3. Enne ad 4. And for further confirmation of the same hath written three bookes to that purpose Porphyrius demanded this question of Nemetrius Shall we saith he suffer a King to dispose of his matters as hee listeth and shall we denie the same vnto God Sinesius the Platoniste confidently affirmeth that such as doe doubt of the Prouidence of God by inconueniences which happen are fooles but the wise are confirmed in the trueth by them Alexander of Aphrod in his booke of Prouidence hath this excellent saying It is too farre disagreeing from Gods nature that he should haue no care of the things below for that is the part of an enuious man and to say he is vnable is too vnseemely because he is able to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him Iuuenall hath a saying thus translated There wantes no God at all where wisedome doth aduise But fooles haue fortune deifide and placd ' aboue the skies Amonius writing against Porphyrius attributeth a double power vnto God the one whereby he knowes all things the other whereby hee rules all things But if any list to heare the iudgements of these men more at large let him reade Theod. de affect Graecorum curandis intituled Of the Prouidence of God Also the first booke of Iohannes Franciscus Picus Comes Mirandulanus de Prouidentia dei wherein this truth
is proued by the testimonies of many Heathen writers as of Orphaeus Homer Plutarch Euripides Sophocles Menander Diphilus Virgil Phocilides Hipocrates Pythagoras Plato Plotin Atticus Platonicus Auicen Algazilus Aristotle and many others all which I passe ouer and come vnto the fourth and last way of proouing this trueth vnto vs. Gods Prouidence prooued by meere reason IN this latter age wherein iniquitie hath almost gotten the vpper hand and wickednes approched verie neere the seate of iudgement some I feare me there are The replie of Atheists I would to God not many which dare affirme that the word of God is but a rule of policie and that wee yeeld vnto it rather because it prescribes a goodly order then sets downe a certaine trueth though these are self-made Idols hauing eies but wil not see eares but wil not heare harts but wil not vnderstād euicting consciences but will not subscribe vnto them For the confuting of whom let me deale with them and others by meere reason after this maner Reasons to prooue Gods Prouidence And first with such as acknowledge the Godhead but cannot see his Prouidence in all things Reas 1 Since it is granted that all things are made by God it must needs follow that euery thing is gouerned by him For if we confesse him God we together withall inferre that hee is most wise yea wisedome it selfe most mightie yea power strength it selfe most good yea goodnes it self for to be God to be almightie wisedome and goodnes it selfe are all one How then can God bee wisdom if ignorāt how to gouerne how Almightie if not able to rule euery thing How goodnes it self if being both wisdom and Almightie hee should not after his creation of the world gouerne and preserue the same Beasts though without reason care for that which proceeds from them Sillie birds looke to their nests they haue framed and carefullie hatch vp their young that nature sent forth And wilt thou graunt thus much in creatures vnreasonable and denie the same in God the Creator of them Reas 2 Secondly if God doth not gouerne the world I would demaund of thee what should bee the reason Whether because he would but cannot or can but will not If thou shalt say he would but cannot thine eies can tell thee thou art deceiued because it is harder to make all things of nothing then being made to guide and gouerne them Again how should God be almightie if there were any thing which he could not doe and how infinite if thou didest know the ends of his power Therefore the Lord can guide all things If thou shalt say he can but will not then thou deniest his mercie and wisedome for mercie euer extends aid vnto others and wisedome directs al things to a certaine end And therefore God being almightie goodnes and wisedome it selfe it must needes follow that al things are gouerned by him Reas 3 Thirdly we count Prouidence in man an excellent thing for the more prouident the more in that respect commended Now whatsoeuer is good in our selues which yet notwithstanding is in vs but by measure and in part the same is originally and infinitely in God Therefore since experience doth teach vs that he hath giuen euerie thing a naturall instinct of caring and prouiding for things vnder them how can we bereaue God of this honour due vnto his name Reas 4 Obserue the goodly order and harmony of euery thing one ruling another ruled one in authoritie another subiect vnto it they not so excellēt to those that are more excellent those which haue no life to those that haue life the vnreasonable to the reasonable the earthly to the heauenly the heauenly host to the glorious Creator euer in subiection First the day then the night the Sunne continually running his race like a giant in the one the Moone enlightning the other neuer continuing in the full but alwaies increasing or decreasing After darknes comes light after a shower the sunshine after heate cold weather after a storme a calme The daies doe make the weekes the weekes the moneths the moneths the yeere In the yeere the spring followes the winter the sommer the spring the Autumne the sommer the winter the Autumne and then comes the spring againe These wee see keepe their perpetuall sucession and order And therefore it must needs follow that God by his Prouidence is maintainer of the same Reas 5 Fifthly we know that the Globe of the earth and the sea being compared with the heauens are but as a pricke with a pen or as the appearance of one of the least starres and yet the earth not to bee measured nor the sea to bee compassed the Sun causing the seasons of the one and the Moone ruling the tides of the other Now both these are guided by the course of the heauens and the heauens as wee all acknowledge by God alone and therefore by good consequence the sea earth with al things therein contained are gouerned by him Reas 6 Sixtly we see that Townes standing by the sea are not swallowed manie Islands compassed with the same are not ouerflowed yea Townes Islands and the whole world with the swellings of the Seas are cōtinually threatned and whence is it that they are not ouerflowed surely from Gods Prouidence who commands it that it shall not passe his bounds but running thorow the chanels of the Earth to comfort the bowels thereof afterward to returne to his place againe Reas 7 Seuently wee see that such beasts as might hurt man doe notwithstanding their rebellion caused by the sin of man goe single by themselues and haunt the couerts and caues of the earth making but small increase But such beasts as might benefit man how huge how strong soeuer come home vnto him submitting themselues by whole flocks and heards euen to little children and so encrease abundantlie And therefore since such things as might hurt vs flie from vs and such as bring profit and by whose liues our liues are maintained come home vnto vs it must needes bee that Gods Prouidence directing all things to our good doth cause the same Reas 8 Eightly suppose as it often fals out two sons to be begotten by one man borne of one woman brought forth at one time vnder one and the same motion of the heauens Esau and Iacob commonlie called Twins The one of these liues in a ciuil and honest maner and brings his hoary head in peace vnto the graue The other set on fire with the vehement heate of enuie thirsteth after blood murdereth his neighbour and and so receiues death the iust reward of his wicked fact What is the cause both being by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.4 that both of them fell not into the like transgression Not diuersitie of seede for both were begotten by one man and both borne of one woman not diuersitie of the planets for they were both borne vnder one and the same motion of the heauens
Before we enter the seuerall handling of these it is to be marked that to will and to doe with God are all one Hee doth not any thing which hee willeth not neither willeth any thing which by the vertue of his willing it is not presētly effected Therfore in shewing how farre forth God willeth these things is also declared how farre forth hee is the Author and Effecter of them To which in order That God willeth his owne glory principally Position 1 as the sole end wherefore hee willeth all other things IF a knowne good thing as reason teacheth is properly the obiect of the will then doth God will his owne glorie especially because it is most excellent in his sight This end was propounded in his admirable frame of the world and especially in the creation of his Angels in heauen and men vpon earth 1. Cor. 10.22 Deut. 6.5 Exod. 2.3 Isai 48.11 Prou. 16.4 To this tended his precepts his mightie power and charge of sanctifying his name to this end is the execution of his iustice vpon the wicked both in this life and in the life to come to this tendeth the shutting vp of all vnder sinne the sending of his Sonne the redemption of his Church their saluation in heauen with all other mercies forth of the exceeding riches of his grace for the accomplishing thereof bestowed vpon them Yea in a word for this is a knowne and confessed truth to this tended the Law and the Prophets Christ and his Gospell the Apostles and Ministers of our Lord and Sauiour with all Gods works of wisdome power iustice and mercie Therefote I conclude this with Paul 1. Cor. 10.22 Do all things to his glory Rom. 11.33 To him bee glorie for euer Amen That God so willeth the euill of the punishment Position 2 as that he is the principall cause and inflicter thereof THere is no euill in the citie which the Lord hath not done The error of the Coluthiani teaching the contrary Aug. de haeres is here condemned Amos 3.6 Punishment is a good thing because it is the execution of iustice which sets forth Gods glorie and therefore befitting him who is goodnes it selfe Hence it is that Adams high presuming hand was punished by God himselfe Hence it is that he prouided a Law for his Successors and promised punishment by his owne person vpon the violaters thereof 1. Sam. 2.31.32 And therefore the man of God denounced Elies punishment in the name of his master Therefore the Lord taketh this authoritie to himselfe with an abridgement of the like vnto others not onelie saying I but I and none others forming the light and creating darkenes making peace and creating euill Surely hee is the inflicter of punishment in whom is the right and power of punishing but these two belong both vnto God And therefore he alone the inflicter of the same That the right belongs vnto God it is plaine because he alone giues the law and takes an account of the breach thereof that this power is proper vnto him it is in like manner euident because experience teacheth that man by strength or policie doth often escape from man But if hee be neuer so strong he cannot resist the Al-omnipotent If hee goe downe into the sea or flie to the vttermost parts of the earth euen there will the Al-seeing God finde him out and his power sease vpon him If hauing this right and power he should not punish accordinglie there should be a disorder and continuall neglect of his glorie because of an vsurpation and challenging of that by the creature which so wonderfullie sets forth the glorie and iustice of the Creator Therefore without doubt God is sole inflicter of punishment But it is obiected Obiect The Magistrates of the earth doe punish and to this end God hath put the sword of authoritie into their hands and therefore not God alone God doth punish somtimes by himselfe Solution sometimes by others yet alwaies it is he which punisheth He exalts men to that honour giues knowledge to iudge wisedome to distribute power to execute The chaire of Authoritie is his the sword is his and hee giues strength to vse them And therefore we cannot properly say that Magistrates doe punish but God by the. In this respect they are called his Vicegerents Kings yea Gods vpon earth to this end that wee might know that hee which is the King of all Kings and God of all Gods hath giuen them this honour and that he will both rule and punish the world by them also giue them some names of exceeding dignitie and honor wherby wee might see it and acknowledge his Maiestie in them Yet all this while the names the authority the power and wisedome being giuen and vpholden by God and that so as that we cannot say that they execute punishment but God by them without question men are but second meanes and the Angels ordained ministers God only is principall efficient in executing iustice and iudgement And therefore both the good and bad Angel is still at his command the one must into the King of Ashurs armie when he is commanded the other may not touch his seruant till leaue be granted Iob 1 And thus much to the obiection It is further to be obserued in the execution of punishment that God doth not will it as it is simply a destruction of his creatures but as it is an execution of iustice and declaration of his glorie for being a perfect goodnesse he would neuer inflict a naturall euill vnlesse it had respect to a morall good And thus it appeares that God is the author of all punishment and wherefore hee inflicteth the same Hence is confuted the vaine imaginations of such as would haue two Gods The opinion of the Manichees confuted the one sole efficient of al goodnesse the other of all euill as well the sinne as the punishment and the punishment as the sinne it selfe But sinne is no other thing then a priuation and absence of the good neither being considered only in it selfe hath any being in the nature of things For what is a disease want of health What is hunger a want of being satisfied What is barrennesse an absence of fruitfulnes So what is sinne An absence of that vprightnes and equitie which ought to be in euery action Now this priuation or absence cannot arise whēce they would haue it for it must needes bee in some subiect the disease hangs not in the ayre but in the bodie of a liuing creature capable of health Blindnes which is an absence of sight must needs be in eyes capable of seeing Now the subiect of any priuatiō is good because it hath his being and is vpholden by God neither indeed as Philosophers teach can euill be in any other as his subiect then that which is good And therefore nothing so euill be it substance or action which is not good One and the same thing good and euill in of 〈◊〉 spects